The teen rat and the purple-masked mouse just stared at each other. For ten seconds there was an awkward silence between the two. "Ralph," said Harley, who was the first to break the silence. "What are you doing here?" Ralph sighs deeply at Harley's inquiry. "I could ask you the same thing." Ralph walks towards her, near the fire, and sits in front of her. "I… had to get away. What about you, Mistress?"
"I was no longer needed… by the people I used to call my family!" Harley gritted her teeth through those last two words. Ralph thinks back and remembers seeing two Rat guards escorting Harley out of her former home. "I remember that day. I was absent from the group. I heard you screaming, scolding us all for turning our backs on you. I tried to find you, eventually I saw you being removed from our new home." Harley's face softens. "I'm so sorry, Mistress. I did not have the courage to protect you."
"What were you supposed to do?" Harley asked, worrying about what would have happened if he dared to interfere. "I could have done anything." Ralph responds. "Anything except stand there doing nothing, while those ingrates were dragging you outside and throwing you out!" "You know how the punishments are, for treason or insubordination, Ralph." Ralph sighs heavily.
"I was right there, Mistress! I could have done something, ANYTHING, to help you. Anything to save you. I did NOTHING to prevent something like that from happening to you. All because I wanted nothing more than to fit in with the others." Ralph looks Harley in the eye. "I always knew I was doomed from the start. I always knew that I was different from the other Rats. An outcast to them. No one understood me at all. But you did, Mistress." Harley looks at Ralph with concern.
"You were the only person I could ever talk to. The only person I could ever trust." Harley smiles at him. "Those kind words mean a lot to me. And please call me 'Harley'."
"OK, then. Mistress Harley." Harley giggles. "No, just 'Harley'." Ralph smiles sheepishly. "OK… Harley." They giggle at each other and sigh.
"Can I tell you something?" asked Ralph. Harley nods at his inquiry. "How would you feel if I was to say that I… have this dream, a silly dream, that the Rats and the Mice stopped fighting each other?" Harley is taken by surprise. "Sigh, I knew this was stupid. I never should have…" "No," Harley interrupts. "No. I'm just… surprised, that's all. You want the Mice and the Rats to come together as one?" Ralph nods.
"I see. Why didn't I think of that? I only thought about giving the Rats the respect they deserve, but all they ever wanted was for the Mice to fear them." Harley sighs. "I was selfish. I was stupid. Two of the Freedom Fighters were right about me." Ralph frowns at Harley's statement. "What did they say?"
"One said that my actions caused the death of some Freedom Fighters and nearly caused the destruction of the planet, Mars. And the other said that I had wasted my potential in favour of the Rats because… I didn't use the gifts I had been given to make my escape." Harley sighs deeply. "I guess it was because… I didn't want to seem ungrateful to the people who took me in when no one else would. Except they didn't do it out of the kindness of their hearts."
Ralph starts to get angry at the sheer selfishness of his own people. Why couldn't they be more like the Mice? Kind, caring, thoughtful, selfless and honourable. Those people, his people, are NONE of those things. "My people make me sick!" "I know, but you don't make me sick because you're not like the others. You strive to be, but the only thing standing in your way is your sense of morality." "Harley…" "I should have escaped when I had the chance, but I didn't. So it was my fault. Haha, even the Freedom Fighters don't want me around. They kicked me out."
"They did WHAT?!" Harley is startled by the teen Rat's explosive tone. "How could they do such a thing after everything you've been through? Don't they know how much you have suffered?" "Whether they do or not, I did what I did. It would have been unrealistic if they all suddenly forgave me." Ralph is confused. "What do you mean 'all'?"
"Well, my boyfriend, his brothers, their human friend and the General understood my pain and knew how truly sorry I was. The others were… not so keen on accepting my apologies. If I had been in the others' shoes, I wouldn't easily forgive the traitor of my own people either." "That doesn't give them right to do this!" "I deserved it for my actions."
"You made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. I know what you did was crazy and dangerous, but… I can't believe the Mice would do something like this to you!" Ralph rises from the ground. "We've got to find a way to end this war between us. Well, not us. Our people, the Mice and the Rats." Harley stands up. "So what do we do?"
At the Freedom Fighters' hideout, Mark and Stan are conversing in the rations room. "What's the matter? Was it 'hard to be Harley' for you? Huh? Huh?" the cream-furred mouse frowns at the silver mouse's 'oh-so-wonderful' impression of him. "Hey, I don't talk like that!" "Mark, you sound like a kid with a sinus infection." Stan laughs.
"Oh yeah?" Mark retaliates. "Well, you sound like a guy who wants to smash things whenever he gets mad. This is what you sound like, "Have you forgotten how you nearly destroyed the planet? What is wrong with you?!"" Stan gives him a blank stare. "That has to be the worst impression of me I've ever heard."
"Yeah," Mark replies. "My impressions are terrible." "But I've got to hand it you, for your 'hard to be Harley' comment. Maybe we could make a song out of it." "Yeah, I wish." The two mice laugh raucously until a white mouse steps in, glaring at them both. "What? Can't take a joke?" Vinnie gives the silver mouse a dangerous look. How dare he talk about Harley like that!
"You think making fun of Harley's suffering is a joke?" Vinnie seethed, approaching the two mice. "How much longer are you guys willing to make her suffer?" Mark gives Vinnie a stern look. "I said it once and I will say it again: were we supposed to forgive and forget?" Vinnie glares. "Have you forgotten what she did to us? What she did to this planet? She nearly destroyed Mars and every living thing on it!"
Vinnie looks away, then back at Mark. "I know she didn't destroy the planet, otherwise nothing and no one would be here, but she could have done. Our people have suffered at the hands of the Rats because of her. I know she has suffered too, and I'm sorry about that, but she could have anything, ANYTHING, except giving the entire planet to the Nomad Rats."
"Let me ask you something," Vinnie demanded. "Which is worse: Mars being destroyed or Mars being saved by Rats?" Mark is furious at this. "How dare you. How dare you!" "Hey, easy there buddy. It's just a simple question." "Enough of this, Vinnie." Vinnie smirks at the angered cream-furred mouse. "So which would one would you prefer? A planet ruled by Rats or no planet at all?"
This was the last straw. "I SAID 'ENOUGH'!" Vinnie doesn't flinch. "What is going here?" The three mice turn their attention to Carbine, who doesn't look too happy about the commotion. "Can someone explain to me what is going on?" Stan forces a smile. "Mark and I were just having a friendly conversation." "About what?" "Yeah," Vinnie chipped in. "About what?"
"We were just… making a few jokes, that's all." Stan claimed. "Yeah," Mark followed. "Until Vinnie showed up and spoiled the moment for us." Vinnie manages not to let his anger get the better of him. He knew exactly who those two were joking about. "He and I had a bit of a squabble and now he was just leaving." Mark smirks at Vinnie, who gives him a face of thunder. "Yeah, Carbine. I was just leaving." Vinnie and Carbine leave the room, with the two Freedom Fighters giggling to themselves quietly.
"Remember, Harley. You don't want anyone knowing you're here." Harley is nervous at the idea of breaking into the place where she was banished from entering. "How am I supposed to do that when I'm still, you know, me?" she asks. Ralph gives her a ring and places it on her third finger on her left hand. "Wait for it." Harley gives Ralph a confused look.
Then, in a flash of light, Harley's original look (the mask and clothes) changes to that of a brown-eyed mouse with bronze fur and short bronze hair, with a little black mole under the left corner of her mouth, attired with a white short sleeved blouse, light brown pants (stopping below her knees) and black boots.
Harley examined (most of) herself and, after admiring herself, was ready to go. All she needed to do now is disguise her voice to avoid detection. She enters the hideout, while Ralph starts digging his way into their hideout to avoid being spotted by any Freedom Fighters who would step outside. As Harley (in disguise) walks past a small group of Freedom Fighters, Mark notices her (not as Harley) and decides to call out to her.
"Hey." Harley is startled by the familiar voice that called her out on her mistakes during her stay with the Rats. She turns around to see Mark as he approaches her. "Sorry, miss. Didn't mean to startle you. Are you new here?" Harley nods. "Hmm, one of the shy ones, huh? Don't worry, I won't bite. Do you have a name, miss?"
"Emily." said Harley, raising the pitch of her voice. "My name is Emily." Mark smiles with approval. "You got a last name?" "Hart. Emily Hart." 'Emily' reaches her hand out to him. "Pleased to meet you… uh, may I ask what your name is?" "Mark. Mark Davis." Harley (or 'Emily') smiles warmly at him, inwardly relieved that no one saw through her disguise. "Come," he says to 'Emily'. "Let me show you around."
'Emily' nods and follows Mark. "So far so good," she thought to herself. "I just hope I don't blow my cover." Ralph digs his way out and finds himself in the rations room. "Look at this place." he says, before covering his mouth. "I can't let them know I'm here." Ralph covers the hole and he crawled out of and thinks to himself. His stomach then begins to rumble. "Maybe a snack or two will satisfy me."
"Everyone," Marks calls out to the Freedom Fighters. "This is Emily Hart. She's new here." The Freedom Fighters greet 'Emily' with a warm welcome, and she responds politely. Carbine shows up and, with a handshake, welcomes her to the Freedom Fighters before informing her on what she will be doing as a member of the team.
"This reminds me of the good old days," she thinks to herself. "Long before I…" Carbine notices her despondent expression. "Emily, you have nothing to worry about. Don't be afraid to ask if there is anything you need to know. OK?" 'Emily' nods at the General.
"What's going here?" a familiar voice called out, making Harley's heart skip a beat. "Did I miss the party?" Harley turns around to face Vinnie coming into the room where she unsuccessfully tried to make amends. "Hey, are you new here?" "Yes, I am. I'm Emily Hart." She reaches her hand out to Vinnie, only for him to say 'hi' before leaving.
"Did I… do something wrong?" "No," Mark responds. "He's just upset over the person who betrayed us." Harley swallowed hard at those words. "Someone… betrayed the Freedom Fighters? What did he do?" Mark chuckles. "Actually, SHE betrayed us. Turned to the Rats after she had her face blown off by an explosion. She gave Mars to them and they kicked her out when they didn't need her anymore."
Harley manages to calm herself down to avoid any suspicion. "So," she began. "What was her name?" Before Mark could answer, they hear a noise in the rations room and go off to investigate. There, they see Ralph helping himself to some food. Sensing someone watching him, he turns his head to see 'Emily' and Mark. The teen Rat licks his lips as he turns his body to front view. "Sorry. I was hungry… and I was hoping to leave without getting caught." Mark glares at him; Harley gives him a sympathetic look. "Excuse me."
"Don't move!" the cream-furred mouse warned. Ralph looks at him, confused about the situation. "Sir, if I may…" "Stay right where you are!" the mouse warned, as Ralph dared to take another step. The Rat stood still as Mark picks up his communicator. "We have an intruder here. Come quick!" 'Emily' steps forward. "I'll take care of him."
"No, Emily. They need to see this. See the damage Harley had done to us." Harley's heart skipped a beat upon hearing her name. "But," she began, "Harley hasn't done anything." "She betrayed us, kidnapped us and forced us to work for the Rats… before she gave them power over us!" Mark's words hit Harley to the core. Luckily, she was able to keep her nerves. "How does that count as 'not doing anything'? I wouldn't be surprised if that rat-lover sent HIM to infiltrate the hideout so that she can take us down from the inside."
Ralph was furious at Mark's harsh words, more furious over calling his only friend a 'rat-lover' and accusing her of having him do her dirty work than being referred to as 'him'. "DON'T TALK ABOUT MISTRESS HARLEY THAT WAY!" Mark and Harley are stunned at the teen Rat's anger erupting from him. "This isn't like him." Harley thought. "I can understand why he's doing this, but…" "Mistress Harley thought the Mice abandoned her when no one showed up to help her. So when my people helped her out, she turned to them. They were her family… or so she thought."
Harley smiles a little as Ralph defends her actions towards her own people. "What my people did to her made me sick. I only wish I had stepped in to help her. She was… kind to me. She was the only one who understood me. None of my people do, no matter how I try to be the Rat everyone else wants me to be." 'Emily' approaches Ralph. "Stay away from him! This could be a trick!" 'Emily' looks into the Rat's eyes. "What's going on here?" General Carbine calls out, entering the room. Vinnie, his brothers and Stan enter the scene.
"What is a Rat doing in our hideout?" "I don't know, Stan." 'Emily' turns to face the Mice. "He's telling the truth." Everyone is stunned at 'Emily's' words. "The truth about what?" Mark requested, wanting to know whether or not this was a trick. "He seems to care about this… 'Harley' person. I think they have a connection. He's… different from the others, I could see it in his eyes." "It's true," Ralph followed. "Mistress Harley and I understand each other. I love her like a sister." "Like a sister?" said Vinnie. "Phew, I thought you were gonna steal her from me." The Rat shakes his head. "Are you her boyfriend?" "Yeah. I'm Vinnie. In the flesh." "The mistress has told me a bit about you."
"Is your mistress all right?" Mark stares at the white mouse in disbelief. "Vinnie, she betrayed us all!" "Well, why do you think she did?" Vinnie countered. "I'm sure she's fine, Vinnie." Vinnie wanted to know more from Ralph. "Have you seen her?" Ralph was in two minds, he wasn't sure whether or not to say anything as he could blow Harley's cover. 'Emily' steps forward and, as Ralph unsuccessfully tries to stop her, removes the disguise ring from her finger, revealing her true form. Vinnie ecstatically calls her name and, just as he was about to approach the purple masked mouse, a furious Mark raises his blaster on her.
"Why are you here?" Ralph raises his blaster on Mark. "Don't hurt the mistress!" "Or what? You'll shoot?" "Please, don't make me do this. I won't let you hurt her. I will fire if I have to!" "OK," Vinnie chipped in. "Now I'm confused. Is he a good guy or a bad guy?" Mark points his weapon on Ralph, then on Harley. "Drop your weapon, sir, and I'll drop mine. No one has to get hurt this way." Mark ignores him, and Ralph shoots him. Mark screams in agony as he is forced to drop his weapon to the ground from the shot, holding his injured left hand in place. "You… you shot me!" he seethed in anger.
"He shot your hand, Mark." Vinnie exclaimed. "Same thing!" Mark winced. "Harley, are you all right?" "I'm fine, Vinnie." Harley responds. "And Ralph just wants to be a good guy." "Well, that's a relief. So… why did you come back?" Stan helps Mark up and leaves the ration room.
"The plan was to infiltrate the hideout… without blowing my cover." Harley answered. "It was my fault her cover was blown. I was supposed to sneak out, but I got hungry so…" Vinnie nods. "Umm… where's the bathroom?" General Carbine calls Harley to talk to her… privately. Harley follows suit and Throttle and Modo approach to comfort the white mouse as Ralph makes his way to his emergency destination.
Mark seethes in pain as Stan places antiseptic on his wound. "You're gonna be fine, you big baby. Now, where's that bandage?" Stan searches his pockets only to find nothing. "Great! I'll be right back." Stan leaves the room to get a first-aid kit. He glares at Ralph as he approaches and walks past him. Ralph sniffs the air and follows the trail of the scent to Mark's room. Upon seeing Ralph, he flinches as the Rat approaches him, assuming that he wanted to hurt him. Ralph brings out a bandage roll and tends to Mark's wound.
"I'm sorry I hurt you. It was the only way to stop you. Forgive me." Mark glares at him. "Mars belongs to you now. How can we ever forgive you? Forgive her?" "It wasn't her fault! My people did this to her. I am ashamed to be one of them. There, all done." Mark examines his now bandaged hand. "Thanks. I suppose you want us to be friends now, huh?" "Let's not be too hasty, considering what happened." Ralph chipped in. "She's really sorry, you know. Those Rats used her and then kicked her out."
Mark sighed. "I want to believe that she's sorry, but… it's just hard to. We lost everything. Some our people had died." "I'm sorry about what happened to them." Mark nods. "What happened to you?" Stan asked. "Me? I was absent throughout the battle. I was absent throughout most things, really. They don't understand me, but she does." Mark's hard expression softens.
Just as Ralph was about to leave, Stan shows up and, out of anger, delivers a right hook to Ralph. Mark looks on in shock. "What are you doing?" he asks, rising from his bed. "Saving your life." "Stan, he was helping me!" "No, that's what I was doing!" Ralph gets up and gets between the Mice. "Guys, when are you two going to stop this fighting? Do you want the Mice to turn against each other as well?"
Stan gives a look of flying daggers at Mark and Ralph. "It's one thing to have my people and yours fight each other, but the Mice?" Stan looks down with a look of shame, but is still angry at the fact that his best friend trusted a Rat of all Martians. "I expect better from them. A lot better than my own people!"
"What do you have to be ashamed of?" Stan enquires him. "You are a Rat through and through!" Ralph sighs hearing his harsh statement, piercing him like an arrow to the heart. "It is true, silver mouse. I am a Rat. A Rat who tries so hard to be what the others want me to be."
"What do you mean by that?" Stan asks, wanting to know. "It feels like no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try… I just can't do all the things my people want me to do. I have done some bad things, but instead of feeling strong and good, I feel… guilty and sick. They will say that I will never be the Rat I am supposed to be."
"Evil, cunning, vicious and cruel. With no sense of morality." Ralph looks into the deep-voiced mouse's blue eyes. "Yes, that's what they want from me. I knew I would never be like this, no matter what. So I left home and found a cave to reside in… until I heard a voice and found the mistress."
"Harley…" Mark now knew where the former leader of the Nomad Rats ended up after her banishment. "So… you and she ended up with each other." Ralph nods. Mark sighs, his brown eyes aiming at the ground. He sat on his bed to think as Ralph left the room. He contemplates his actions towards Harley before she left the hideout.
Was he in the right to berate her, in front of all these people? Did he enjoy watching Harley breaking down in tears over her drastic actions? Where was his mind when he assumed that Harley and Vinnie did more than just kiss, knowing how controlling and manipulative she was when she worked with the Nomad Rats?
Everything that happened that day echoed in Mark's mind like noise in a hollow cave. One by one, his actions and words slowly begin to overwhelm him. "Apologise for what? For turning your back on us? For destroying cities, buildings and towns? For kidnapping and enslaving the Freedom Fighters? For allowing the Rats to finally rise to power?"
"You did this, Harley! You did all this!" "What were you even thinking when you started siding with those Rats, anyway?!" "Everything we had, everything we worked so hard to achieve was taken away from us." "We were forced to work for the Rats, digging for tetra-hydrocarbons day and night. Anyone who tried to escape was FORCED TO CONTINUE working for the Rats, with the use of mind-control devices attached to their heads."
"She had the potential to do SO MANY GOOD THINGS… and she SQUANDERED it. She squandered it all in favour of the Nomad Rats!" "Now I get it… she has you wrapped around her little finger." "Maybe she felt that she had to take a little something to remember you by."
"Mark? Mark." Mark was too busy thinking about what he had done to notice the silver-furred mouse calling out to him. "Mark!" "Huh?" He turned his head towards his concerned friend. "Are you alright?" Mark nods, and, with a look of determination, gets up from his bed and leaves the room.
Meanwhile, Carbine's 'office', where she spoke to Charley, Carbine was the first to speak. "So," she began, nervously trying to strike up a conversation. "How are you doing?" "Fine, Carbine. And you?" "I… I'm just glad to see you're alive. I was worried about you." Carbine admitted, sadly smiling at the former Rat Army leader. "Why?" Harley asks.
Carbine sighs before beginning a new sentence. "Harley, we lost you once when you were kidnapped and we lost you again when you were banished from the Freedom Fighters for what you did. We feared for you then and we still do. We didn't even know where you were at the time."
"I see. Well, if it concerns you that much, I was in a cave. Thinking about what I had done to you and the Freedom Fighters." Carbine, hearing this, breathes a sigh a relief knowing that Harley was safe from harm. "I thought I was getting everything I deserved. I know you, Charley and the Biker Mice forgive me for my actions, but… it's just hard to forgive myself."
"Is this about what Mark said to you?" Carbine asked. Harley nods her head to the General's statement. "Harley… there was nothing you could do while you were facially scarred." "Yes, there was. The many opportunities I had for escape were wasted when I was living with the Nomad Rats. I guess I was afraid that I would be ungrateful to them if I tried to escape. I depended on the Rats so much that I eventually considered them my family and friends."
Harley remembers the day she had her bandages removed and wore her mask for the first time. "They took me in before the Freedom Fighters got there. I was just starting to believe that my own people abandoned and betrayed me, and no matter how hard I tried to hold on to the hope that at least one mouse would come for me… I couldn't hold on to that hope anymore. I was finally convinced that the Mice just… didn't care about me at all when the Rats told me about the Biker Mice leaving Mars."
"Harley…" "Mark was right about me. I caused so much pain to my people and so much destruction to Mars. My potential… wasted. All I ever wanted was to be loved, trusted and cared for, and I thought I had those things with the Nomad Rats. But I didn't. It was all a lie. Vinnie was my true love, my one true love, and I… I hurt him."
"Harley…" Carbine began. "All Vinnie ever wanted was to see you again. To be with you again. Even when you… gave Mars to the Nomad Rats. Vinnie was so upset when you were banished. I recently heard Mark screaming and I went to find out what was going on. He and Stan said they were having 'a friendly conversation', but Vinnie was not so easily convinced. He left before he could say anything else."
Harley's eyes widened. "Vinnie was distraught over me? Was he tearing up? Was he smashing things?" "Yes, he was doing all of the above." Harley didn't know what to think. Who would thought his love for her would be so strong, even after everything that has happened? The Freedom Fighters turned their back on her, from the day they found out what she had been doing since she was stolen from them.
They know she kidnapped the Freedom Fighters, nearly destroyed Mars trying to save it and gave the planet to the Nomad Rats. In her eyes, NO ONE wanted anything to do with her, no matter what. No one except Vinnie. His brothers, Carbine and Charley showed at least someconcern for her, but she was dead to the eyes of (most of) the Martian Mice.
"I'm sorry… for everything I have done." Carbine gives her a warm embrace, assuring her that's everything is OK. "If there's anything I can do to make it up to you." Carbine worriedly stares at her. "I can help you take back control of Mars. But if the Freedom Fighters still want nothing to do with me, I understand." "Harley… you don't-" Carbine notices Mark standing at the entrance.
"We'll talk later." Carbine leaves the room, but as Harley follows suit, Mark steps in the way, blocking her path. Harley's heart skipped as she looks into the eyes of the mouse who tore her apart, wondering what he has in store for her. "We need to talk." Harley, though hesitant, agreed and went back into Carbine's office, away from the entrance.
Mark follows her into the room and folds his arms, hardening his gaze at her, as she turns to talk. Harley was the first to break the silence. "So… what do you want to talk about?" The cream-furred mouse takes a deep breath before parting his lips to speak. "What I want to know is why you're here. Why you entered the hideout after what you did to us." He speaks while trying, but failing, to hold back the anger in his voice.
"Well, I…" "What did you think was going to happen? We gain your trust and you try to help us with whatever it is you're trying to do, in hope that you don't get caught?" Harley shifts her gaze from left to right as she tries to think of the right words to say. "You were banished from this place, remember? And what? You just… decided to worm your way back in here?"
"Mark, the fact of the matter is…" "I'll tell you the facts. You turned your back on us when a Rat kidnapped you and you had half of your face blown off. You hated us when you thought we left you to die and you were all alone, in the middle of nowhere, until those Rats saw you. For some reason, they decided to help you out and you eventually believed that no one cared about you except the Rats."
Mark approaches Harley as she bows her head down in shame. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." Mark ordered, lifting up Harley's chin to face him. "You are not a child." "I just…" The Freedom Fighter put his fingers to her lips. "I'm not finished with you yet." He removes them before continuing his harsh, honest rant.
"You turned to the Rats, the people who tried to kill us and took you away, for comfort. Or because you considered them your family and friends. All because you thought we all betrayed you? You could have done something to prevent this from happening to you. Send us a sign to let us know where on Mars you were. But you didn't. We never betrayed you, you betrayed us."
"You turned on your own people and helped the Rats in their fight. You kidnapped the Freedom Fighters, you forced us to work for them. Anyone who tried to escape was put under mind-control. Your selfishness brought misery to all of us. All hope was lost until the Biker Mice, the General and that Earth woman saved us, saved our lives. We had to find a way to make you and the Rats pay for what you did to us. But in the end, you and the Rats won. Some of our people were killed and your actions nearly destroyed us all. Nearly destroyed every living thing on Mars!"
"How many tetra-hydrocarbons does one need to save the planet? Not THAT many, that's for sure. And thanks to you, YOU, the Rats have taken over Mars and we are forced to either in live in fear of them or hide from them." Harley chipped in on hearing Mark's false assumption. "No, I wanted to give the Rats respect."
"And look where that got us! Look where that got you!" Mark's anger had reached the breaking point as he spoke those words. "You were banished by the Rats, and then you were banished by the Mice. And you brought your hide back in here after we specifically said 'no' to keepingyou here. I always wondered why a mouse would do such a thing. But now, I see who you really are. You are the mouse who abandoned us, betrayed us, enslaved us, broke us."
"Right now, I don't know whether to despise you for what you did or feel sorry for you for what you went through. I'm only sorry we couldn't save you in time, because you never would have done all this if we did. We thought you were dead, hence why the search parties were called off. But it turned that you were alive all this time, and it didn't even occur to you to call us for help."
Harley's throat tightened up, swallowing hard as she tries to contain herself. "You have no idea how long I have waited for the Freedom Fighters to come and find me." Harley spoke, finally getting a word in. "I have spent many weeks waiting for someone, a mouse, to come and save me. Not one of them came for me. I gave up on my people after waiting for so long. I even gave up on the Biker Mice when I found out that they left Mars."
Mark's hard gaze is still focussed on her. "So you turned to them." Harley nods. "They were the main reason the Freedom Fighters couldn't find me." Mark frowns in confusion hearing Harley's statement. "What do you mean by that, Harley?" "The Rats threw them off the scent to make them think they were close to finding me." Mark's confused expression slowly turned into one of shock and disbelief. "Was the Rat who calls you 'mistress' a part of this?" Harley shook her head. Then she remembered the times she spent with Ralph while waiting to be rescued.
"He was always with me when some Rats went away to do their job. Ralph and I would always have small conversations with each with other. I talk a bit about my life and he does the same. When I was feeling down, he would always cheer me up. I don't think he knew what they were really up to. Maybe he ran away from home when he found out what they did while the Freedom Fighters looking for me."
"She's right." Ralph spoke standing at the entrance of the office. Harley and Mark turned to face teen Rat. He enters the office, approaching the two mice. "I was astounded at what my people did to the Freedom Fighters… and her." Ralph looked at Harley as he uttered those two last words. "I couldn't stay with them so I left. I was alone until Harley came in."
Ralph takes a deep breath, before he speaks. "She and I talked about… everything ranging from you and another mouse berating her, to the Freedom Fighters banishing her to…" the Rat stops himself to think of what to say. "Harley and I talked about… taking the planet back from the Rats. Making them pay for what they have done."
Mark chuckles to himself as he heard those words spewing from the teen Rat's mouth. "You, a Rat, want to give Mars back to us?" Ralph nods at his untrue statement, fearing what would happen if anyone knew about his true plan. "I don't believe you, not even for one second." "I do not blame you for mistrusting me because of my species." "Even after you bandaged my hand, I still don't know if I can trust you."
"Wait." Harley interrupts. "You bandaged Mark's hand?" "Yes… after I followed a scent that led to his room. His friend wasn't appreciative of this." Ralph chuckles to himself. "And why should I trust you enough to let you help us take back what is ours?" Mark questioned the Rat, raising his voice as the mouse approaches him. The teen Rat, looking into his dangerous eyes, swallowed hard fearing what would possibly happen to him.
"If he wants to give Mars back to us, I don't see why not." Harley chipped in. Mark turns around, glaring at the woman who betrayed her kind. She doesn't move a muscle as he closes in on her. "Just as I expected. You would trust a RAT over your own kind, just like you did when they took her in out of the 'kindness' of their hearts."
"Is that why you wanted to see me, Mark? To berate me for my mistakes?" The cream-furred mouse chuckles in disbelief. "Mistakes? You call betraying, kidnapping, enslaving and killing your own kind mistakes?" Harley remains still with a face like a stone. "I admit that I have done things I am not proud of, and you were right to call me out on the things I did, but I am willing to make things right."
Mark's dangerous gaze briefly stays on her, before turning to walk away. "Did you have something else in mind?" He stops in his tracks. "Were you going to… apologise for what you said that day?" The Freedom Fighter turns his head, staring at her with a face of thunder. "Don't push your luck. I'll be watching your every move. Same for the Rat."
Ralph sighs as the man he helped the leaves the room. "He's certainly nice today." Harley fixes her eyes to the ground. "You OK?" "Yeah," she responds, raising her head to him. "I'm fine. We move forward with the plan?" Ralph nods. "Good. Then we have work to do." Just as Harley walks past Ralph, he grabs her hand to stop her in her tracks. Harley looks at him with worry.
"What is it?" she asks. "Well, umm… thanks. For not saying anything… you know, about the REAL plan." Harley warmly smiles at him. "Anytime." The masked mouse and the teen Rat leaves the room, unaware of Mark glaring at them as they walk on by. "Sooner or later," he thinks. "I'll find out what you guys are REALLY up to. Any funny business from any one of you, ho ho, and you will get yours."
With that in mind, Mark is more than determined to find out what Harley and Ralph are really up to. And as soon as he finds out, EVERYONE in the Freedom Fighters will find out. Including General Carbine, Charley, Throttle, Modo and… Vinnie. Then the traitor and the Rat will see what happens next.